Journal-box lid



` July 17, 192s.

. 1,677,321 D. s. BARROws -l JOURNAL Box LID Filed Fb. 2o, 2` sheets-sheet 2 Patented July 17, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE..

DONALD S. BARROWS, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNf MENTS, TO THE SYMINGTON COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF MARYLAND.

JOURNAL-BOX LID.

Application led February 20, 1924. Serial No. 693,986.

, The invention relates to journal boxes for railway vehicles and `more particularly to journal boxes which are provided with hinged lids.

One of the principal features of the 1nvention, generally stated, is to provide a comparatively simple, strong and durable means for effectively hinging the lid to the journal box, said means including among other things a torsion spring and shoe member which is advantageously mounted with respect to the lid for securely maintaining said lid in closed position.

Another object of the invention, particularly stated, resides in the provision of a hinged lid having bearing means forv the pivotal portion of the shoe member or lever supporting the torsion spring, additional means being provided for housing and supporting one end of the spring in the nature of a bearing therefor.

A further object of the invention is to` provide an articulated lid for journal boxes which can be economically manufactured, `readily assembled, and eectively maintained in position under service conditions, the several parts being capable of easy replacement in event of repair.

Withthese and other objects in view, the

invention further consists in the combination, arrangement and construction of the severalparts to be hereinafter described.-

In the drawings illustrating the invention, the scope whereof is pointed out in the claims:

Figure 1is a view in front elevation with portions in section.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view through the lid shown in Figure 1 applied to the journal box.

Figure 3 is a detail end view of a portion of the lid 'illustrating the torsion spring and the manner of supportingr the same against the lid. i

Figure 4 is a front elevation of a modified construction of lid with portions in section.

Figure 5 is a vertical sectional view thereof on the line 5-5 of Figure 4 and showing the same applied to the journal box.

Figure 6 is a detail sectional view on the line 6-6 of Figure 4.

Figure 7 is a detailed sectional view illustrating afurther modified construction in whichl the torsion spring and shoe or lever member are mounted in a lid of the nonarticulated type.

Referring tothefdrawingsin which similar reference characters designate correspondingparts in the several views, thc journal 'box 1, as shown inFigures 1 tofG, is provided with an articulated type of lid composed of the upper or hinged portion 2 and the lower cover portion The journal box is provided with a lug having a top portion 5 adapted to `cooperate 'to maintain the lid in open position, and a vertical portion 6 with which the shoe member or lever 7 of the lid coaets. The shoe member 7, shown in Figures 1 and 2, is 'ln'nied with a pivot portion 8 preferably formed as a hollow sleeve-like portion, and a projecting arm or lever portion 9, theA upper end of said lever portion coacting with the respective lug surfaces 5 and G. One end ofthe pivot portion 8 is journaled within a selected internally disposed flange l0, said flange forming anV effective bearing located in relatively close proximity to the upwardly extending lever portion 9.

The torsion spring 11, and more specially the helix thereof, 'is adapted to surround the pivot portion 8 of the shoe niembelr, one end of said spring bearing against the shouldered portion 12of said shoe member, and the other end of said spring being arranged in Contact With'tbe upper portion of the lid and more particularly an outstanding projection or lip 13. In this construction the torsion` spring isadapted to function in the usual manner for effectively seating' the lower portion 3 of the lid against its scat on the journal box while also operating effectively to maintain the lid in elevated poj sition.

i The outer end of the spring adjacent the portion maintained against the projection or lip 14 is surrounded by an internally disposed flange 15 which serves as an effective bearingl for the spring. The foregoing construction and more specially the cylindrical portion 8 of the shoe member provides a stable pivot member for the spring which, it will be noted,` serves to effectively maintain the shoe member in `position for coaction with the cam surfaces.

In the modified construction shown :in

Figures 4, 5 and 6, the shoe member or lever 16 may be and preferably is formed of a solid metal piece, there being an intermediate upstanding projecting portion 17 the upper end of which is adapted to coactr with the respective cam faces provided onv the journal box. The laterally extending portions 18 and 19 ot the shoe member are each provided with a trunnion 2O adapted` to seat in the bearing portion 21 extending inwardly of the upper-or hinged section2 of vthe lid.

In this construction a` plurality of torsion springs 22 is disposed around the projecting portions 18 and 19 of the shoe member, the outer ends of saidy springs bearing against the respective projections 23 provided on the lid section 2, and the inner ends of said springs contacting respectively the projections 24 on the shoe member. In this construction the torsion springs can be readilll herein asformed integral with the lid..

(Ibi

1y inserted together with the shoe member and positioned for operation for effectively maintaining the lid in either closed or open position.

In the modified construction shown in'Fi gure 7 the lid 25 is pivotally mounted upon the pintle 26, the upper portion of said lid being so shaped as to receive the torsion 'spring 27 and shoe member 28. One end of According to the preferred embodiment of the invention, the lid section 3 is loosely pivoted onthe pintle which also supports the upper cover section 2 enclosing the torsion spring and shoe member' or lever, said plv-- otal connections, together with the arrangement of spring and lever acting to effective-V ly maintain the lid in snug' contact With the journal box. The offset relation of the upwardly extending arm portion of the shoe.

memberv provides for the effective positioning yoi the torsion spring which is inserted through the opening "in the section 2 bordered by the flange 15.` The slott'edportion 15aL in the'end of the section 2 andintersecting the opening adjacent' thelangel permits of the introduction of the spring. The outer end ot the spring is held in position bythe lip l4 or projection 13 whichumay be'bent over said end after the partsA are assembled inv position. The introduction of the shoe or lever member is easily accomplished and Whenthe pivot portion thereot is surrounded by theI helix of the spring it becomes el'ectivelyl journaled therein, the end portion vof the spring being in turn vjournaled in the bearing flange 15. It Will be observed that the assembly oit' the parts illustrated in the modified construction of journal box is equally 7 advantageously effected and a detailed description thereotis not vbelieved necessary.

I claim:

l. The combination with a journal box having a hinged lid, of means maintaining said lid in a plurality ofv positions, said means including a lug on the journal box havingv a plurality of -faces, a lever provided with a portion adapted `to cooperate with said surfaces and another portion forming a pivot,a torsion spring mounted on theqpivot portion ot said lever and having one end operable against said lever and the other'end pressing outwardly on said lid', and bearings provided on the lid adapted to respec-l SV tively support one end of the pivot portion of the lever and surround a portion ofthe torsion spring at the other end of the pivot member. y

2. The combination With a journal box having a: hinged lid, of means-for maintaining said lid in a plurality of positions, said n'leans'including a lug having a plurality of surfaces, a lever provided with a portion adapted to co-act With'said surfaces and'an- 5 other portion forming a pivot, a torsiony spring mounted on said pivot portion of the lever` one end ol said spring bearingr against said lever and the other end of said spring bearing against the lid,and meanson said lid including a bearing for said pivot portion and one for said spring for maintainingH 'i said spring and lever in position. i

3. The combination with a` journal box having a hinged lid, of means for maintaining said lid in a plurality of positions, said means including a lug having a plurality ofJ surfaces, a' lever provided with a portion adapted to co-act-With said surfacesand another por-tion 'forming a pivot, a circular bearing tormedon the lid for one end ofsaid pivot portion, ay torsion spring having its-y yhelix disposed around said pivot member,

and a bearing portion on the lid for supporting said helix, said spring havingone lfend thereof bearing againstV the lever and alother `portion 'bearing outwardly on then li Ll.'The combination with a journal box having'a loosely hinged lid member-form.- ing the cover of. said box, another member loosely connected to said" lid and hinged to'L -the journal box; a' lever having a portion journaled in said second named member, said lever having an oil'set portion` a. torsion spring surrounding a. portion of said lever and having one end reacting 'aga-inst:` said offset portion and the other end bearing outyWardly against the second 'named member,

and means including a lug provided on said journal box having portions adapted to cooperate With said lever for maintaining the lid in a plurality of positions.

5. The combination With aI journal box provided with aI lug and having an articulated lid connected thereto, a lever having a spindle or pivot portion journaled directly in one sec-tion of the lid and provided With a projection disposed adjacent said portion adapted to coact With said lug for maintaining the lid in a plurality of positions, a torsion spring having its helix disposed around said spindle portion and providing a. bearing therefor, said spring having one end bearing against the lever and the other end bearing against the aforesaid section of the lid, and a bearing for the end of the spring adjacent that portionbearing against the section.

6. The combination with a journal box having a lug, a lid connected to said lug, and means for maintaining said lid in a plurality of positions, said means including a lever having a projection cooperating With said lug, said lever being pivot-ally mounted at one end directly in the lid and a torsion spring mounted in the lid and completing the pivotal mountin of said lever, said spring having one en pressing inwardly on the lever and the other end pressing outwardly on said lid.

7. The combination With a journal box, of a lid connected thereto, and means for maintaining said lid in a plurality of positions,

. said means including a lever having a portion forming a pivot, and a helical. torsion spring having its helix forming a bearing for a part only of the pivot portion of said lever, the other end of said pivot portion being movahly mounted directly in the lid, said spring having one end bearing inwardly against the lever and the other end press'- ing outwardly against the lid.

8. The combination with a journal box, of a lid pivoted thereto, and means for maintaining said lid in a plurality of positions,

said means including a torsion spring and a lever' having a portion forming a pivot therefor, said spring having one end bearing inwardly against said lever and the other end projecting through one end of the lid, and means including a projection on the lid for connecting the projecting end of the spring thereto.

9. The combination With a journal box, of a lid having an opening at one end thereof pivot/ed thereto, and means for maintaining said lid in a plurality of positions, said means including a lever having a pivot portion, a torsion spring insertab c through the opening in the lid, said spring surrounding the pivot portion and having one end thereof bearing inwardly against the lever, the other end of said spring being disposed upon the outside of the lid, and means including a suitable projection on said lid for releasably maintaining said last mentioned end of the spring in operative position.

ln testimony whereof I afliX my signature.

DONALD S. BARROWS. 

